Flexible chain



1 1931- K. FASSNACHT ET AL 1,331,951

FLEXIBLE CHAIN Filed Sept. 19. 1929' 2&2 I

3 mm \H IN VEN TORS A TTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 17, 1931,

1 UNITED STATES lATENT ore-Icin- KABL FASSNACHT AND RICHARD GLOSS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNORS TO BPEIDEL CHAIN (30., OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A FIRM COMPOSED-OF IBEDEBIC SYPEIDEIIJ AN D EUGEN SPEIDEL, BOTH PFORZHEIM, GERMANY v r'LnxIBIIE'cEAm Application filed September 18, 1929., Serial No. 393,702.

Our present'invention relates to the jewelry 'art and particularly pertains to chaln constructions suitable for forming-bracelet chains and thelike.

One object of the invention is to form a flexible chain. comprising relatively large thin link members.

- Another object of the invention is to. form a chain which utilizes a small number of parts designed forrapid machine production.

tageous features in view, the invention con- .sists of the novel construction and arrangement disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompany ing drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of chain construction; I

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section thereof, the connecting pins being shown full;

' Fig. 4 is a section through one of the links in the plane of one of the connecting pins;

Fig. 5 is a central section through two connected body links;

Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof a body link formed from sheet metal;

Fig.7 is a .plan view of the blank therefor;

Fi 8 is a perspective view of .aconnecting ink formed from sheet'metal;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the blank therefor;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a modified form of chain;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the modified connecting link; and f Fig. 12 is a plan view of the blank therefor.

It has been found desirable in the jewelry 'art to form flexible chains suitable for bracelets and the like of large links hingedly connected togethei', the links being thin to produce the effect of athin; fiat chain, and'having suflicient surface to permit extensive ornamentation if desired. We have devised a simple construction for a chain of this type,

utilizing fiat, thin links which may be formed of tubular stock or from sheet metal, the completed chain comprising a small number of easily assembled and repaired parts; and

the following is a detailed description of several forms of chain construction embodying the principles of our invention.

Referring to the drawings, 20 designates a flat chain formed of body links 21. and connecting links 22. These links may be of seamless tubular stock, each body link being sawed or cut to provide an opening 23 at each side thereof for receiving the-connecting link 22, the ends being cut to leave integral end sections 24 which are folded to seal the ends of the body links. The body links are there to close its end of the body link and facilitate the positioning of the associated pins, the

- 1 other end section being folded after insertion of the/pins to complete the sealing of the body link and to lock the pins in place.

If desirable, the chain may comprise links which are formed of sheet metal. A blank 26 such as shown in Figure 7 is stamped, preferably on a punch ress, and is folded as shown in Figure 6 to orm tubular body links 21a having'side openings 23a and end sections 7 24a, as shown in Figure 6; the connecting links may also be formed from sheet metal blanks 27 such as shown in Figure 9, which are folded as shown in Figure 8 to form connecting links 2211. The procedure in constructing a chain using the links 21a and 22a A is identical with the procedure when using the links 21 and 22.

A modified form of chain 28 is shown in Figure 10, formed of body links 29 and connecting links 30, the body links 29 being similar in general appearance to body links 2 21, but having elongated openings 31 for receiving the lar .er central portions 32 ofthe connecting lin s 30. Both the body links 29 and the connecting links 30 may, if desired, be formed oftubular stock, but are preferably formed of sheet metal, the body links 29 being formed by bendingblanks similar to blanks 26 into the general form shown in Figured and the-connecting links 30 being formed from blanks 33, as shown 5 in Figure 12, and folded into the completed connecting links shown, in Figure 11. The

construction of the chain 28 is similar to the 4 construction of chain 20, one end section of each body link remaining in unfolded osition until pins 25 are inserted to lock the ody and connecting links together, the unfolded end section then beingfolded to close and seal the body links and to lock the connecting pins in place.

\ Our improved chain construction therefore utilizes a small number of parts, each designed for rapid machine production, the assembly of these parts, requiring a minimum number of operationsf and the resulting chain is a strong, sturdy, attractive chain formed of large flat links which readily lend themselves to suitable ornamentation.

While we have described specific constructional forms of novel chains, desired changes 7 in the arrangement and the proportions of a the various parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

; Weclaim;

p In a flexible chain, a plurality of hollow.

body links having top and bottom walls, each body link having an opening on each side thereof to form an H-shaped top wall and an H-shaped bottom wall, tubular connecting links havingportions positioned in the contiguous opemngs of adjacent body links, pins in eachbody link extending through the associated connecting ,links, and means for pre- 1 venting longitudinal movement of the pins. .40 In testimony whereof, weaflix our signatures. V KARL FASSNAGHT.

' RICHARD GLOSS. 

